A quartet of high school friends from Passaic, New Jersey, the [lastfm link_type=”artist_info”]Shirelles[/lastfm] were the first girl group to score a Number 1 hit.

There were other girl groups who had hit the Top 30 — like the [lastfm link_type=”artist_info”]Chordettes[/lastfm] — and many more who followed, but “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” by the Shirelles was the first.

The group was not an immediate success, however. Their song, “I Met Him on Sunday” cracked the Top 50 in 1958 while “Dedicated to the One I Love” and “Tonight’s the Night” hit Numbes 83 and 39, respectively.

Their next shot at a hit was the result of a favor owed by the group’s label to [lastfm link_type=”artist_info”]Carole King[/lastfm]. That’s the reason why the Shirelles recorded the song which, incidentally, included Carole playing tympani.

Released in December of 1960, it spent 15 weeks on the Hot 100, including two weeks at Number 1 in January of 1961.

Not only was it the first Number 1 by a girl group. it was also the first Number 1 for King and her co-writer, Gerry Goffin.

One Comment

My favorite Shirelles song and remember first listening to this when I was in my teens by a DJ named Rockin Robin who played this type of music on a station outside of Toronto many years ago. Great song and makes me think of Fiona alot!

Fiona? Will you still love me tomorrow even th oug were not together yet? (but NOT FOR LONG!). I thought so! That’s what I wanted to here in my dreams!